What are some downsides to living in Newfoundland and Labrador (besides the weather)?
07.06.2025 07:48
That is our/my experience and admittedly it's not a good one but many of my facts are tied to institution, systems or ways of existence and not on the negativity of people or my own personal bias.
Limited international food selection. I can understand how and why, but just stating as an international person you will have a hard time finding items at stores. You might have to special order on your own but I have seen group orders and like communities on Facebook to community orders.
That is why this province is a revolving door to most…whether new Canadians or citizens: unless you have a good job and paid well to stay like a doctor or engineer or some sort of job related to trades, natural resources or government office: it's not a special place to live on minimum wage or have mediocre employment. You can't access services or supports and if you don't drive or own a car you are completely screwed. Do your research outside of tourism before wanting to relocate here. I did mine statistical wise but not coming to feel the pulse of the people. Only once I moved in and the discrimination and criminality started did I truly regret coming here. If you are white enough to pass it's a different experience.
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Some areas are considered remote rural so Wayfair or amazon won't deliver or IF by chance they do, you might get hit with $15 rural delivery fee per item.
Canada Post community mail boxes right by the ocean exposed to all elements and salt air: good luck if your mailbox key works.
Water - most people don't know but town water or well water: NL has high arsenic and it's upto the homeowner to test and make the appropriate arrangements. Not to mention really poor water treatment areas and continuous boil water advisory due to cross contamination.
Denial or lack of local knowing of NL history and I'll begotten gains from being an active hub and port for the transatlantic slave trade.
Limited access to fresh produce, which is insanely expensive due to transportation costs BUT you often only get a couple days out of it before it spoils. Sometimes it arrives spoiled and still sold at full price. Lots of wastage here.
Alot of attitude and push back if you try to problem solve or ask for something a different way. “we don't do that here” Like there is such offense and apprehensiveness if you know or suggest or request anything. You could be in your own Feild of study and well over qualified and you are vilified and ostracized for doing or thinking differently. Not everyone is this way but wow most aggressive and offended responses I ever got in my life has been since moving here. I believe those toxic replies were with the unconscious bias or hidden racism only because everyone else with white skin who passed through the same person have no issue until a next coloured steps into their space. Then that covert or overt repulsivity shows itself again even if the coloured person is quiet and obeys to not be outspoken or a “inconvenience”. But yes this inability to adapt or do differently is huge barrier and creates encapsulation and siloed mentality.
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Long term care facilities are just geriatric warehouses. I was also told NL has the highest rate in Canada for using and misusing psychiatric drugs to keep them quiet. My source a well accredited social worker studying and investing the topic with decades of experience across Canada. They were scared, horrified and disgusted by their findings thus far.
High levels of radon. I had to buy detectors for the house because it comes through the floors and pipes. You have to have a well ventilated house and most homes are dated, not able to retrofit well AND new builds and designs I don't believe accomodate that and have different building codes but more importantly lack of inspection and accountability.
Labrador communities have to pay way more for their groceries and the justification is “transportation”, but I'm stating how it's not the same prices as what is paid in NL.
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There is a homelessness issue like anywhere else but here, the lack of energy shelters, limited to no warming centres huge stigma and bias against homeless and few malls, libraries or public spaces: homeless are not welcome or given any break. Limited bus routes or times of operations, limited ways to get to the few programs and if you walk, everything is uphill like a mountain climb or down steep hills of sheer ice. It's damn hard to be homeless here and I have alot of respect to them. Homeless Newfoundlanders in Ontario used to tell me they have family there but they can't be homeless there between the hate, weather and lack of resources or ways to help yourself in public spaces: they hitch hiked to Ontario because at least there are supports, better weather, more ways and places to hide in plain sight and they get dignity in Ontario.
Oh there is discrimination if you like, live, work in town. You are a “townie” and like that's a bad thing to be modern or developed. Bayman vs townie is alive and well.
Alot of moss. If you like your green lawn of grass and buy somewhere rural…lawn maintenance might be alot different than you are used to or way more labourous. The PH of soil varies as well but it took us 5 years to naturally cure most of our moss issue and that involved cutting down alot of trees in the lots most furthest peripheral.
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Every local generationally settler that can afford to travel gossips, boasts and makes huge deals how they go to Mexico or other developing nations and that entitled toxic tourist narrative is alive and well.
There is mainlander discrimination Alive and well.
My child did not have a good school or peer to peer experience that we had to pay for private school. That's why I send her out of province for youth leadership opportunities because locally … she's being gaslit by peers, bullied, or sabotaged. It got a bit better at a private school. There it's only classism to compete or be victimized from. Not racism, mainlander hate and generational bullying or family fueds.
I think we have the highest rate of diabetes so provincial government imposed a sugar tax only on drinks. It's charged by the serving amount. So a 2 liter bottle of pop or juice has not only a bottle deposit fee but the sugar tax. If you buy a fountain drink at a restaurant and it's not diet: sugar tax. You want to buy a huge club sized tub of Tang or Kool aid and it makes 30 liters, you pay more in the sugar tax then the product value of shelf price.
Lack of hospital services - this is everywhere but when you have to wait till morning to get an x-ray because there's no one in and they don't want to pay overtime or emergency fee : you begin to wonder what happened to the medical institutions.
Humidity even when cold is just dampness - mold in the house even with dehumidifiers. Arthritis and health issues have flare ups.
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I am sure there are more points but these were what came to my mind most readily.
Products on store shelves are dependent on plane or boat to come into the island part of NL. That means bad weather cuts off the supply or disrupts the orders delivery. Often time store shelves are bare.
Alot of genetic/health issues so best to go under testing before having children to know predispositions.
This has been the few observations I have had lived experience with since arriving in 2019. It's slowly catching up to the rest of the world with EDI-AR but slow to practice at local levels. Alot of advocacy, RCMP or RNC intervention and multiple court dates for civil issues.
Transportation: there are limited to no taxis outside of major towns. The metro bus system of st. John's is a joke, but good effort and desire to improve. There is no official bus services between towns or way to link across the island other than private bus service. There used to be a major rail system here and they gave that up and deconstructed it all to make way for paved highway. To thus day most of this “highway" is only one lane both directions with no traffic lights, limited exits or gas stops etc.
Cell phone reception sucks most places outside urban areas. Also worse in bad weather but fog and rain causing reception issues. Not snow storms or hurricanes. I'm talking just fog… oh one place I lived my option for home internet was DSL (satellite dish) or for any fossils like me, remember 56k? Yeah that was my ONLY option. If tech is major factor for your life you better find out before arriving or buying property as to what services are available and at what price.
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Forgot to mention that any major health issue, you have to travel to the capital city for a specialist, surgery or treatment and most of that is paid out of pocket. You can live on the west coast and need to go to the east coast for the service. Gas, flight, hours of travel, lodging expenses and you're low income, senior or very sick.
Most places, the fire fighters are volunteers in the community. Not paid and regimented like you see or know from major city standards of living elsewhere.
Lack of police force - limited detachments, limited constables and depending on how far you live- a long wait if you call for help.
If you need medical help or police because you've been in a car accident or someone attacked you and they are an hour away…if you are CPR certified and trying to keep someone stabilized or alive that long for professional help to arrive: that is one damn scary reality. Not having transportation or public resources or charity based resources: you have to learn how to be living in absolute poverty verses relative poverty. This is not a Canada issue, this is a provincial and municipal issue of poor investment, neglect and underdevelopment and the seniors that live here deserve better. The youth here, deserve better. The hard working class: deserve better. All these natural resources, mega billionaire corporations extracting, refining, and scientific studying; and still such high rates of ABSOLUTE poverty. It's shocking. No one likes the truth but disparity is here. Sustainability and inequality - gap between the have and have nots is HUGE.
Limited entertainment. The capital city itself has only one ciniplex - small towns have started to use town hall or theatres as movie screening places but that's unofficially and assuming they have those facilities to seat a public gathering indoors. There is nothing to really do if you are a city person with experience of world residency. If you like camping, hunting, hiking, riding quads/ATV, whale watching or such excursions. It's a pretty place to pass through or live if you like them things but… it's not modern or lively and limited diversity and inclusion.
Bylaws are rarely enforced in most smaller places.
Price of electricity is high so you can't afford to heat the home to get the air inside dry. The continuous draft, high winds, humidity and dampness: you burn too much with electric base board or space heaters. Wood fire place is how we get dry heat in the basement which helps dry out the home.
So much complaints about weather. I came here and I groan to myself about having to shovel my 200 foot driveway but… it's like a new surprise everytime it happens. Small talk becomes the only talk and all day long the moans and groans amplified. When I came to Canada I knew there would be snow and it's natural and apart of the environment… but on and on cuz there's nothing to do or talk about so just multiple that weather anxiety. It's just an ongoing transference of mental health issues and negative Nelly ways weather related or just in general. Gossip and complaining is the blood line of life here.
Out dated and free pass education system for grading. My daughter came in grade 8 and curriculum was stuff she did in grade 4–6 in Ontario.
Criminal Justice system is a joke - police can press charges but crown and public defender just let people go. PCA/PSW stole my mother's credit card at the hospital as her patient when she was bedridden and Actively dying: used it around our rural town, caught on store SURVEILLANCE and eventually pleading guilty to only have to pay $202 restitution. No record, no probation and can now get jobs with other vulnerable persons to continue stealing. That wouldn't be allowed in Ontario. Oh I forgot to mention she stalked my daughter online thinking it was my mom the victim because she wanted to ask why she was being charged. Then after her first court date, she shows up on my driveway casing the joint. Good thing I have video surveillance of it. Huge protection of offenders here and victims are taught to “let them” and you are encouraged to call 911 but as stated police and ambulance and fire are so few and far between…so, good luck.
Living on the island and not liking it can play on your mental health. It's like Alcatraz and fend for yourself at times. Very poor mental health supports and huge stigma in society about mental health. Even jokes or fears if being committed to “the Waterford". I kept hearing that said everywhere until one day I asked wtf is a Waterford to a local settler friend.
Gas lit all the time - example going to 3 grocery stores looking for an eggplant. First off no one knew what it was. Secondly those who knew after being told it's a purple pear shape or long purple shape vegetable similar to a zucchini: “we don't eat that here, it's too fancy”. Ooooookay.
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General lack of selection. There is minimal international restaurants with authentic cuisine. If you are Muslim, Halal can be very hard to get in major cities but mostly non existent outside of that.
We have volunteered extensively and given back to our communities but… it's just not for us. We are happy to see more connections are happening to facilitate a local to global perspective at the moment but I believe as a political science student that is due to immigration and the need to abide by charter of rights and freedoms and human charter of rights…not necessarily something that holistically appeared on its own organically.
Racism - overt or covert, there is denial, minimization and invalidation when issues arise along with secondary bullying, disbelief and people taking offense instead of being disgusted and denouncing.
Infrastructures and institutional systems are underdeveloped and it's not my cup of tea at all. As soon as my daughter graduates from highschool (a couple months) she applied to multiple universities it other provinces. We can't wait to leave. We did our time here and… it's not meant for us. We have no family and very few friends. We have no established rooting to remain and the shallow quality of life is stunting our happiness and growth. Unless something systematically changes: it's not good here for us.
Lack of ambulances- in town or rural areas, there are so few ways to get to hospital or be transfered between destinations.
Roads have huge pot holes so be prepared to know how to change a tire because there is limited to no tow trucks.